No More Traditional Bird Feeders — The Home Depot Find That Attracts Finches To Your Yard

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If you're a backyard birdwatcher, you know how exciting it is to spot your favorite species, especially when they're enjoying the food you bought them! But any bird enthusiast knows that you can't guarantee which types of feathery friends (or tree rodents) you'll invite. That's why some feeders are designed to attract particular types of birds. Whether it's the feeder's shape, size, or specialized features, some products are designed with particular bird species in mind. The problem is trying to figure out if a feeder will actually interest them before you spend your money. Luckily, there's a Home Depot find that gets rave reviews for its ability to attract goldfinches to your yard.

The Birds Choice Forever Finch mesh tube feeder has a cute yellow scalloped top and base and a tiny diagonal mesh screen that allows equally tiny birds to grip on while they snack. To make your job a little easier, it also comes with a small bag of a specialized finch mix. Besides its attractive features, it gets a 4.8-star rating, with 95% of reviewers recommending the product. One customer said, "The first day, I had several small finch birds all over the feeder!" Another reviewer reported that larger birds had difficulty using the feeder because their weight caused it to swing. 

No feeder can guarantee that finches will visit your yard, but choosing one suited to their feeding habits can improve your chances. Customer reviews suggest that the mesh design of this feeder works well for attracting finches in some yards. However, the feeder's design, the type of seed offered, and the surrounding environment can all influence which birds visit. Since goldfinches love sunflower seeds, seeing the yellow color from the feeder (reminiscent of yellow sunflower petals) could signal to them that food is close by. Once they find the feeder, the quality of the seed mix may help keep them coming back. The feeder has a 1-quart capacity, so you'll need to keep additional finch seed on hand for refills.

Check the feeder after rainfall to make sure the seed stays dry, or consider adding a rain guard above it. One customer reported that their seed became moldy after getting wet. Birds Choice also sells a Weatherguard Bird Feeder Dome on Amazon that could keep seeds dry and act as a beacon to the finches. Seeing as most wild finch food consists of sunflower and Nyjer seeds, it also can't hurt to grow sunflowers and thistle plants in your yard close to your feeder. Other seed-bearing flowers that attract goldfinches include things like zinnias and coneflowers. 

If you want to make your yard more appealing to goldfinches, consider providing suitable nesting habitat as well. Shrubs and small trees can provide goldfinches with sheltered nesting sites and protection from predators. Allowing plants such as milkweed and dandelions to grow in your yard can also benefit goldfinches, which use soft plant fibers and down to construct their nests.